The key to success for interactive classrooms, and collaborative learning is training stakeholders in the use of the technology they are being asked to use. Sinking investment into whiteboards, projectors, and wireless networking will be of little help if instructors still insist on pursuing only chalk and talk because of their lack of familiarity with the expensive IT assets sitting in the classroom.

Generally, teachers expend up to 90 percent of mental resources ensuring that their lesson goes as planned, without unwanted disruption. If new technology becomes a distraction rather than an invaluable aid, it will not be used by instructors. Training the trainers is perhaps the most important – and most frequently overlooked – aspect of interactive teaching.

SMART is adamant on promoting training for educators to use the powerful tools at their disposal. “Effective training for educators is the most essential component in ensuring the full utilization of interactive learning tools. In order for faculty to fully grasp the teaching opportunities these tools offer, they must receive not only proper initial orientation and training on the functions within the product, but perhaps more importantly, the strategies around how best to use the tools to engage and motivate students and trainees to learn,” notes Nancy Knowlton of SMART.

“SMART has recognized this need and offers an array of training materials and programs – including on-site training at schools and in corporate settings, online training sessions, two-minute tutorials, area training sessions, certification events, subject-specific training, masters training, technical training, website resources and helpline services. Some of our training resources have been translated into a variety of languages to support our growing number of international customers,” she explains.

It is sometimes the human factor that is the weakest link in interactive learning setups. Without sufficient motivation, training and desire to improve the way education is delivered, the most expensive and versatile equipment will be reduced to unused piles of microchips gathering dust in inconspicuous corners of the lecture hall. Technology that is not being used can not generate any positive returns on investment, and the lack of apparent benefit will scare purchasers away from investing any further.

Interactive education is a system where the sum comes out to more than the constituent parts. The system will succeed or fail as a whole, not in bits and pieces. When looking at purchasing the right technology, studies point to the importance of investing in the system as a whole, while treating the educators, students, IT support staff and other stakeholders as essential parts that help the entire system function. It is up to buyers, with support from their vendors, to ensure that all actors in the system, whether human or technological, mesh well together.

In fact, according to Mark Reeves of Promethean, interactive learning can not be treated in top down manner. “We have seen that the most successful implementations are where teachers are part of the decision process and subsequently really take ownership for the success of the technology. Training and involvement is the difference between success and failure. If educators are trained to use the system, and recognize how it can help them become better at their job, they will be inspired to extract the most advantage from the technology.” This can pose a problem. Educators usually stick to methods that have worked well for them in the past. If it isn’t broken, why fix it? But this inertia can mean that new, more effective and immersive ways of teaching are sidelined because of the hassle of adopting them. The promise of interactive learning can be exploited only when the educators themselves are willing to first adopt it, and then adapt it to their teaching environment.

Shameema Parveen, Knowledge Officer at Edutech, also emphasizes the importance of involving teachers at all levels in the process. “Current faculty beliefs about technology’s role in learning and teaching must change. Integrating technology into instruction and into existing curriculum is a challenging process; only those faculty members who believe that technology use will lead to significant benefits for their students will succeed in putting it to effective use.”

Teachers who receive formal training use technology more frequently for instruction, and this use can lead to significant improvements in student achievement. While young teachers consider ICT a natural part of their work environment and social life, more experienced educators need to spend time with interactive technology to be convinced of its worth. It is important that these teachers, who can be influential secondary buyers and decision-makers in investment decisions, be given the time, space and support to develop familiarity with the technology.

“Technology will have little or no effect unless faculty is adequately and appropriately trained. Teachers who receive training to teach using technology use it more frequently and in a greater variety of ways, often in more creative ways than intended. They are more likely to have their students use technology to facilitate higher-order thinking,” notes Parveen. “Integrating technology into instruction and into existing curriculum is a challenging process; only those faculty members who believe that technology use will lead to significant benefits for their students will succeed in putting it to effective use”

Manufacturers and vendors adding support and training tools to their portfolios to help their buyers’ training needs. However, such services are not always available for free, and may require substantial investment on the part of the buyer. Nevertheless, Customers and vendors need to work together to develop training and familiarization programs that empower teachers to use technology effectively. This doesn’t mean harried two hour power-seminars, but an inclusive bottom-up approach where educators are involved in the debate that shapes the final education system installed.

Planning Learning Delivery with interactive

Learning Objectives: To develop a journalistic style
Title: Creating a newspaper format
Grade: 5/6

LESSON PLAN WITH INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARDS*	CHALK AND TALK COMPARISON
TEACHING ACTIVITY Give children copies of newspaper Ask them to identify features of text, role of headline etc. Jot ideas on whiteboards. Feedback ideas. Headline to attract attention, hookline to further attract attention, add humour, picture to attract attention Ask children to identify what the role of each paragraph is: overview, linking to previous knowledge, story in chronological order, (final paragraph) what next. Label each paragraph	TEACHING ACTIVITY Give children copies of newspaper Ask them to identify features of text, role of headline etc. Write out ideas on blackboard Discussion Difficult to add pictures, so focus on underlining and chalking in linkages Ask children to identify what the role of each paragraph is: overview, linking to previous knowledge, story in chronological order, (final paragraph) what next. Labelling will pose issues as content can’t be manipulated – find a workaround
GUIDED WORK Drag labels to slide containing boxes to create a writing frame Print out a copy of frame for one between two Children given blank stable sheet and asked to jot in bullet points to determine what will go in each box. Teacher models turning bullet points into a paragraph Children turn own bullet points into paragraphs (If possible the children could use computers to produce the work as this will make manipulation of text and images easier and give a more professional finished product)	GUIDED WORK No dragging/dropping Can’t print a conventional blackboard – use pre-prepared handouts Distribute another handout with completed paragraphs, chalking an example on the board Children called up on the board to chalk in their examples.
WRAP UP Scan examples of children’s work and analyse in comparison with the original labelled text or frame.	WRAP UP Instant comparison difficult. Teacher takes text home, and selects suitable student sample to analyse in next session
TECHNOLOGY USED Interactive Whiteboard Printer (ideally laser)	TECHNOLOGY USED Conventional blackboard Chalk/ marker
RESOURCES Associated whiteboard file Print out ofWolf Newspaper examples	RESOURCES Handouts Printout of newspaper
IT COMPETENCES REQUIRED BY: Child  none Teacher  basic	IT COMPETENCES REQUIRED BY: Child  none Teacher  none
LINKS TO OTHER SUBJECTS: The subject of the newspaper that the children produce may be matched to a current topic.	LINKS TO OTHER SUBJECTS: No functionality for including links – bring articles into context by wrapup discussion at the end of lecture.
*As sourced from http://www.nwnet.org.uk – a teacher’s portal